More publishers circle in on LimeWire for the kill

Emma Woollacott, 17th June 2010

Following last month's ruling that LimeWire was guilty of copyright infringement, a group of eight music publishers has sued the file-sharing service.

The eight members of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), including EMI Music Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, are seeking damages likely to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The pervasive online infringement facilitated by LimeWire and others like them has consequences for everyone in the music chain. Operations like LimeWire must understand the songs that make their illegal venture lucrative don’t appear out of thin air,” said David Israelite, NMPA chief executive.

"Behind every song is a vast network of people – a songwriter, a publisher, a performer, a record label. They have robbed every individual in that chain by selling their site as an access point for music and then refusing to properly license the music."

The NMPA had better hope there's any pickings left. After the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ruling last month, LimeWire is on the ropes. While the company claims it's still business as usual, it's subject to an asset freeze.

The other publishers filing the suit are Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Bug Music, MPL Music Publishing, Peermusic, and The Richmond Organization. The case has been filed in the New York Southern District court.